Bourbon County: Horse Breeding, Architecture, and Markets

Bourbon County is home to more than 50 horse farms. The county is also historically associated with horse breeding and bourbon whiskey. Visitors looking to combine different interests will find options for walking, water activities, architecture, and experiencing daily life in Paris. The experiences below offer different focal points to help you plan your stay.

Walking, Water, and Horses

Bourbon County Park has a paved loop trail for walking and a playground.

Stoner Creek offers opportunities for canoeing and kayaking in Bourbon County. Garrard Park provides access to the banks of Stoner Creek. If you’re planning a trip on the water, check water conditions and access before setting out.

Guided tours are offered at Claiborne Farm seven days a week. They include visits to the stallion barns and the cemetery where racehorses such as Secretariat are buried. Reservations and times may change; check before your visit.

Architecture and History

The Hopewell Museum is housed in the former Paris post office, an outstanding example of Beaux-Arts architecture. It is an art and history museum with a learning center for children and changing exhibitions. The building’s former use and its present-day role as a museum come together here.

The Bourbon County Courthouse features dome paintings depicting the four seasons and Bourbon County’s agricultural products in 1905. Other buildings and grounds also offer glimpses of different aspects of local history: the Nannine Clay Wallis Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nannine Clay Wallis developed an elaborate garden on the home’s four-and-a-half-acre grounds.

St. Paul’s Methodist Church is the oldest African American church in Bourbon County. Annunciation Church is considered the county’s best example of a Gothic Revival church. Another way to explore the architecture is to take Bourbon County’s self-guided Downtown Architectural Walking Tour.

Paris: Shops, Market, and Getting There

In downtown Paris, boutiques, antique stores, souvenir shops, home goods and decor stores, and art galleries featuring works by local artisans are all within walking distance of one another. The Paris-Bourbon County Farmers’ Market has an outdoor market from March through December and an indoor market that operates year-round, Monday through Saturday. The Made in Paris® network includes small businesses and artisans based in downtown Paris in the arts, crafts, food, and beverage sectors. Participating businesses may change.

If you’re driving from Lexington to Paris, the most direct route is the scenic Paris Pike. It is marked as US 68 East and US 27 North.

This overview can help you choose a hotel that suits your travel plans.

Explore more destinations: Paris, McCracken County, Grant County, Muhlenberg, Daviess County, Floyd County, Breathitt County, Madison County.

For the broader travel overview: Kentucky.